Homeless man dies after arrest

An investigation has been launched after a man arrested for begging was found collapsed in a police cell and later died, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.

The 36-year-old, believed to be a homeless man from Lithuania, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of begging and taken to Forest Gate Police Station, east London, where he was booked into custody at 1.15pm.

He was found collapsed in his cell at about 8am the next morning and taken to Newham General Hospital. He was then transferred to Royal London Hospital where he died at about 8.15pm on Thursday night, the IPCC said.

IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne said: "This investigation will focus on the care this man received while in police custody, to see if anything could have been done differently to prevent his death."

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the man's next of kin and formal identification has not yet taken place.